The arena hummed with anticipation, the energy palpable in the air. Spectators, officials, and competitors alike filled the space, buzzing with excitement over what was to come. The sky above Mira's tournament grounds was streaked with the golden hues of late afternoon, and banners from all seven cities fluttered in the breeze.Stronghold's unit stood in the crowd of the 32 qualified fighters, still catching their breath from the chaos of the prelims. John, Alex, Victor, Gordon, and Isabel glanced at one another, knowing the real challenge had just begun.Up on the raised platform, Jimmy, the ever-charismatic announcer, strode confidently to the center. His booming voice cut through the murmur of the crowd, drawing every eye to him. "Ladies and gentlemen, warriors and benders from across the seven cities—welcome to the next stage of the Bender League Tournament!"Cheers erupted from the stands, but Jimmy held up a hand, silencing them with ease. His smile widened as he continued, "After the intense preliminaries, we now have the best of the best—32 fighters who have proven they deserve to stand here." He gestured to the crowd of benders, his hand sweeping across the field. "From Aqualis to Ignis Peak, Terra to Veilstead, each one of you has shown strength, determination, and spirit. But now... it's time for the real battles to begin."Victor crossed his arms, his fiery aura faintly flickering as he watched Jimmy. "Here we go."Jimmy's tone shifted, his voice taking on a more serious edge. "Tomorrow, we enter the duels—one-on-one battles where anything goes except killing or maiming. Victory is only achieved when your opponent either forfeits or is unable to continue fighting. This is where strategy, endurance, and sheer skill will be tested."John smirked, nudging Alex. "One-on-one fights? This is going to be good."Alex, though still concerned about the earlier losses, managed a grin. "Finally, something straightforward."Jimmy's grin returned as he continued, "The matchups will be determined at random, and each duel will be held here, in the grand arena. The entire city of Mira will be watching, as will the rest of the world. So I hope you're all ready, because from tomorrow onwards, it's all or nothing."The crowd erupted into applause and cheers again, while the fighters exchanged glances. Jimmy's charisma carried through the air, but his words had a heavy weight behind them. Tomorrow, everything changed.Jimmy gave a final wave, stepping back from the center of the platform. "Rest up, fighters. Tomorrow, the tournament begins, and may the best bender win!"As the crowd began to disperse, John turned to the others, cracking his knuckles. "I don't care who I'm up against tomorrow. I'm going all out."Victor grinned, his own energy surging. "Same here. I've been waiting for this since we got to Mira."But as they began discussing strategies, Alex's thoughts drifted back to Lila. The thrill of the upcoming tournament couldn't shake the concern he still felt for her and Max. He knew Lila was resourceful, but the fact she hadn't made it through the prelims still gnawed at him.Just as they were about to leave the arena, familiar voices called out from behind."Hey! There you guys are!"Anne and Lila approached the group, catching up after their earlier struggles in the prelims. Anne looked relieved to see them, while Lila kept a more composed expression, her eyes lingering a little longer on Alex.Anne let out a breath of relief. "You made it! I was starting to think this tournament was going to eat you alive."John grinned. "We made it through. Barely."Anne smirked, her usual teasing tone in full swing. "I heard Gordon bolted ahead to secure his spot."Victor laughed, "That's our Gordon—lone wolf mentality and all."Lila, who had been quiet for most of the conversation, finally spoke up. "So... you five are Stronghold's last hope now."Alex caught her eye, and for a moment, the tension from the prelims seemed to fade. "Yeah, we are," he said, his tone lighter than before. "But we'll manage."Lila tilted her head, studying him. "Make sure you do. You've got the whole city on your shoulders now." She didn't say it in a mocking way—there was an edge of sincerity in her voice.Alex opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Victor chimed in. "No pressure, right?" He gave a mock-sigh, rolling his eyes dramatically.Anne chuckled. "Come on, Alex. No time to get distracted. We've got some real fights ahead of us."John shook his head with a smirk. "She's right. Tomorrow is going to be tough, but I've got no intention of losing."The group continued talking for a while, discussing the upcoming duels and possible opponents they might face. Tensions ran high, but there was an undercurrent of excitement, too. Each fighter knew they had to give everything they had in the coming days.As the sun dipped lower, casting the tournament grounds in a golden glow, the group began to make their way back toward the temporary quarters they'd been assigned.Alex lingered for a moment, catching Lila's gaze again. He didn't say anything, but there was something unspoken in the way they looked at each other—a shared understanding of the weight of what was coming."See you tomorrow," Lila said softly, offering him a faint smile before turning to leave.Alex nodded. "Yeah. Tomorrow."As they walked away, John patted Alex on the back. "Come on, man. Get your head in the game. This is it."Alex managed a smile, but his thoughts were already on tomorrow's battles. He couldn't afford to be distracted, not now.